The San Diego Padres' ongoing quest for a World Series (or at least a playoff title). "You know that many runners enter a race, but only one of them wins the prize. So run to win! Athletes work hard to win a crown that cannot last, but we do it for a crown that will last forever." 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

Heartbreaking

Oh, Jonathan…I feel you man.

It wasn’t too long ago when a star closer for the Padres blew a chance that would have sent them to the playoffs. Two chances, actually. It hurts. To have that huge hope that we’re going to do this, we’re going to get there, and our amazing closer is going out there to shut them down, and then, three hits later, it’s all over. The hope is painfully dashed to the ground. Shock settles in. Tears fill your eyes. We had it. It was right there in our hands. We could feel it. It was there. We were one strike away.

It’s hard. Pap’s going to have to relive that moment for the rest of the postseason. He’s going to go through a lot of guilt, a lot of regret. He’s going to analyze those moments over and over again. So are the fans. It’s heartbreaking, it really is.

Though I’m not as die-hard as I could be towards the Red Sox, I feel the pain. I was pulling for this team too. I don’t know what went wrong, but there was definitely something not right with this team. They got swept in three games. That’s not good. Not good at all.

One team rejoices as the other is filled with grief. One city is estatic while the other is quiet, sadly reflecting on the end of a season. One city looks forward to the next game, the next week, while the other looks forward to redemption, seemingly so far away.

It’s not easy. But that’s baseball: it was made to break your heart.

Here’s hoping that all you Red Sox fans out there will see the hope of next year. Teams like the Padres live on “next year.” Next year, is hope.

Meta

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